The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1887-02-24
THE MORPHIA 3
What a Chemist Has to Say About the
Fashionable Evil.

What a Chemist Has TO Say About thu
Fashionable EVIL.
1t was in the window of m instru-
ment-maker's shop-a handsomely.
wrought silver box that, from its shape
and general appearance. might pass as
a receptacle for matches or for snuff.
That it was not intended for either pur-
pose was evident from the articles sur.
rounding it. A question addressed to
the man at work behind the counter
brought him to the window, where. af-
ter adjusting his spectacles more firmly
on his nose. he finally succeeded in
discovering the novelty referred to.
and drew it out with q hook-rod.
This" he said. .tis one of the newest
of my own inventions. and though it be
but a small thing, its price is a big
thing, DR. would be to some people. Do
you know, sir" he continued. that that
little trinket is worth So? And tiny as
it is it can do more damage than its in
nocent looks imply. This is a morphia
case, and though we do sell q few to
doctors. the greater number of sales are
to people who are addicted to the NOR
phia habit.
'This little spring on the bottom of
the box opens the lid without the slight
est noise, and by pressing it again
when closing it will produce a similar
result" Here he gave a short exhibit
ton of how noislessly the act of OPEN
ing or closing it might be done. Now,
YOU know, a doctor would not especi-
ally desire such a case, but with the
people who have formed this habit 1t is
essential that in indulging they should
not be noticed by others. AS it is
frequently necessary for them to apply
it when on the street or while travelling
in the cars we must comply with their
wishes and make these cases and their
contents as harmless and innocent in ap-
pearance as possible.
We have adopted the silver match
box shape and this noiseless catch on
this acc cunt.
I'm this first compartment" the in
strumentmaker continued. rs he point
ed to the first of the three parts into
which. the box was divided, ''the wires
for point NC the injector are kept. in
the second is q small vial of morphia,
in the third is a dainty little silver in
%jector, which looks more like a pencil
case than the harmful thing it is.
Now, sir. you see how easy a man can
put the desired quantity into the injector
at home and when outside how easily
he can puncture his skin and inject the
This little lecture upon the quaint
instrument aroused the curiosity of the
reporter, and on his way home, late at
he stopped at a well-known drug
store on a prominent street to ask
about the drug itself. There
he learned that the usual amount used
by physicians in their practice. when
necessity for a ~hypodermic injection
of morphia occurred, was from one
to one-eighth of a grain; that the
drug was really the active principle of
and that its indulgence as a
habit was extremely dangerous, event
ually fatal, and that it was also a very
costly habit.
THE class of people," said the ex-
perlenced night-clerk. "who are fire.
found through sudden deaths
Or accidents that expose the truth
to have been addicted to morphia are
men who are living in a high
style. The lower class, and.
IN fact. many of the upper class of
and professional people are
the habit. 1 know a promi-
nent druggist in the eastern states
who used it steadily for years. and
when he died suddenly from its effects
MS arms and legs were found to be
literally blackened where the skin had
been punctured while using the in
iector. Every night someone comes
n here for it. We sell IL greater
amount to ladies. and mostly young
aides, than to men. Who they are
IL to what class they belong L can not
ell, as they only go at intervals to n
store, and in this business curiosity
would be q bad fault.
sit is hard to tell just how much
who has become habited to this
lrug can stand, us it depends mainly
lpon the length of time they have
,een indulging in it. This is true in
every habit. and the longer they use
t the more is necessary to effect them.
The habit is evidently growing, and it
nay some day need legislation to pre-
Tent it from becoming as popular as
he use of opium Is in China.'-St.
Paul Globe.